Lake Tangipahoa set for stocking

When Hurricane Isaac hit Mississippi in 2012, it took a toll on Lake Tangipahoa at Percy Quinn State Park near McComb.

"It was just all the rain from the hurricane," Jerry Brown, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks biologist, said. "It caused some slides on the back side of the dam."

As the damage was assessed, fears grew that the dam would break and flood areas south of it, so officials decided to drain the lake.

Brown said weather delays dragged repairs out longer than expected, but now the lake is beginning to fill.

"We hope to start stocking next week," Brown said. "We're waiting for the water level to get high enough so the hatchery truck can get close enough to put the fish in."

Brown said the lake will initially be stocked with redear sunfish, bluegill and Florida-strain largemouth. The stocking will be followed about a year later with either hybrid or white crappie. The delay will help the bream and bass get established.

Black crappie and catfish are expected to establish themselves as they are native to the Tangipahoa River, though Brown said additional catfish will be stocked later.

Once stocked, Brown said the growth will be monitored and when the fish reach an acceptable size, the lake will be reopened to the public. Brown expects that to happen in two or three years.

Contact Brian Broom at (610) 961-7225 or bbroom@jackson.gannett.com. Follow The Clarion-Ledger Outdoors on Facebook or @BrianBroom on Twitter.